Hi there, I’m Donna Kelliher, the face behind the camera at (you guessed it) Donna Kelliher Photography. Firstly you should know that I’m a little bit crazy about dogs. Ok, maybe more than a little.  My dogs are my family (possibly my favorite members of the family, but shhh, that’ll be our little secret).  I love every minute I spend with my dogs and I think being a dog photographer is the best job in the world💖. Right now I have one border collie, named Believe, who is my constant companion. We love to play agility, hike, swim and she is a world-class snuggler.

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So what qualifications do I bring to this dog photography vocation of mine? Other than being enthralled with every dog I meet walking down the street 😊. Well, I started off with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Photography from NYU (my parents were SO happy 😏 when I switched from Pre-Med to art school…). Added in 20+ years as a certified professional dog trainer – positive methods only. And since I was blessed with an infinite supply of love and patience for our canine companions (and their shenanigans) – voila, I found my calling in life as a dog photographer.

Not that it has always been a smooth journey. I was actually TERRIFIED of dogs for a decade or more after I was bitten as a child. But a friend’s Irish Wolfhound, sweet, goofy Benjamin, helped me learn to trust dogs again and the rest as they say is history. Sometimes I marvel at the fact that I now help rehabilitate “aggressive” dogs as a trainer when the sight of a Chihuahua 50 yards away would make me quake in fear, but life can be funny that way I guess.

My experience as a trainer has turned into such a huge benefit as a dog photographer. Because of the knowledge I have, I can read a dog’s body language, gauge what they’re thinking and feeling and now how to make them comfortable and happy during our sessions. I can anticipate the special moments and capture the expressions that showcase who they really are. Nothing makes me happier than when clients tell me that I captured their dog the way they see them. Especially for dogs who may be shy or fearful and need a little more help relaxing and enjoying their session.

One of my favorite client testimonials reads:

“Donna did a portrait session with my old girl shortly before I had to let her go. The pictures are beautiful and I’m so glad I got them before it was too late. Ariel was never a super social dog, and by the time we did the session it was hard for her to get around. Donna was so good with her. My cranky old lady was relaxed and enjoyed herself. Having someone who knows dogs as well as photography made all the difference. The result was lovely afternoon and pictures that I will always treasure.” – Chris M.

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Now maybe your dog isn’t into sitting around and posing. Maybe they’re super active and never stop moving. And you would love images of them flying across a field or plunging through the surf. I’ve got you covered there too! I spent the first 10+ years of my photography journey almost exclusively photographing dog sports – agility, herding, lure coursing, dock diving, etc. If dogs played the game, I photographed it.

So I have tons of experience photographing dogs enjoying life at top speed. Not to brag (as I brag :-), but my dog sports work has been on the covers of multiple international magazines (I can’t tell you how cool it is to walk into a shop and see your work on a magazine cover😎). I’ve also photographed several books as well, so if you’re dog does it, I can photograph it!

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What about life outside of photography and dogs? Is there life outside of dogs??? Ok, I’ll try and come up with a few things that don’t revolve around them…

Here are 15 (non-dog) Fun Facts about Me

1. I LOVE the water! My parents always said I was part fish. You get me near a body of water and I’m in it. And you’ll have a hard time getting me back out. I even did my first Polar Plunge this January 1st! It was SO MUCH FUN!
2. I’m a night owl. I can stay up editing until 1 am, no problem. It’s getting up for those sunrise sessions that are painful 🌅
3. My favorite color is purple, in all it’s shades. (You may even see it in my hair if you book a session)
4. I meditate and practice yoga every day. I’ve grown so much in mindset and self-confidence in the past few years because of these practices.
5. I love to read. Fiction, non-fiction, poetry, short stories, I love it all. I never wanted to go to an e-reader, I was a “real” books girl, but now I don’t go anywhere without my Kindle.
6. I’ve been a vegetarian for over 30 years. I was a vegan for probably 15 of those, but discovered that I missed pizza and ice cream too much 🍕🍦😋
7. I’m the youngest of six kids. My mother was a saint and I love my bi-weekly cut-throat game nights with my sisters.
8. My favorite season is spring. I love the warmer days, the SUN returning after the dreary winter, the flowers everywhere and all the possibilities of the year stretching out ahead of me.
9. I stop for ice cream after almost every session 🍨. I try to find a small local shop wherever I am for a special treat before heading home.
10. My favorite band has always been and will always be U2. I’ve seen them live on two continents and their shows are always incredible!
11. I LOVE dark chocolate. Gimme chocolate chip cookies, the super fudgy cake at Caffe Nero, chocolate martinis, YUM! And it has antioxidants, so it’s a health food, right???
12. I love being out in Nature. Hiking, camping, kayaking, biking, the beach. In the warm months here in New England, I spend as little time indoors as possible 🥾🌄🌞🛶
13. My favorite t.v. show, that’s a tough one since I don’t actually own a t.v anymore. But it would have to be between the X-Files(mmm, David Duchovny) and Schitt’s Creek(mmm, Daniel Levy – and yes, I KNOW. But he would be SO fun to hang out with and his relationship with Patrick is so sweet 💖).
14. I was agoraphobic in my 20’s. For almost 10 years I could hardly leave my house. I’m so blessed to have recovered and be leading this amazing life now.
15. My dream vacation would be a beach house with a bunch of my friends where we could swim in the ocean, go on adventures, go dancing or hang out with cocktails talking late into the night. Hear that ladies, let’s make this happen!

So that’s me. Outdoorsy, chocolate loving, dog photographer to some of the best-loved dogs of Greater Boston and beyond. Tell me a little about your dogs in the comments or connect with me on IG and share a photo of your pup to brighten my timeline 🐶💗